Eating in Italy

It would be impossible to talk about a trip to Italy without describing the wonderful food!

What impressed me most was the freshness of all the food. The fish was caught daily in the surrounding warm waters of the Mediterranean and the fruits and vegetables were picked early each morning from the surrounding gardens and sunny hillsides. When I commented on the sweetness and juiciness of all the fruits and vegetables I was given a very interesting explanation.

In 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted, causing great devastation especially for the neighbouring city of Pompeii: the city was actually buried in volcanic ash. But over time that ash was absorbed into the earth creating a very rich soil in which fruits and vegetables would grow in abundance. Today, all the fruits and vegetables are not only very tasty but extra rich in vitamins and minerals.

Of course a trip to Italy would not be complete without sampling Italian pasta so I very enthusiastically ordered one of my favourite dishes: spaghetti. The Italians cook pasta "al dente" which I know is the correct way--not soft and never mushy. But I suppose that deep down I lack an appreciation for fine cuisine because I prefer my pasta a little on the soft side: crunching spaghetti just doesn't feel right.

But somehow, I seriously doubted that the Italian chef would be willing to cook the pasta my way and I didn't care to see the look of disdain on his face when I made the request. So I dutifully ate the crunchy pasta and decided to switch to seafood and vegies for my next meal.

That turned out to be a wise decision: all the seafood was exquisitely delicious! I ordered another favourite: mussels. This dish was flavoured with fresh herbs, a light sauce and accompanied by juicy tomatoes.

For some unknown reason, the waiters took it personally when we decided to pass on the proffered desserts and would still bring us a plate of cookies or little fruit tarts. (I doubt if the Italians even have a word for "diet".)

Mealtimes are meant to be long and enjoyable and the waiters had all the time in the world to explain local food specialties, or describe the wines of the region and make appropriate suggestions for the best wine to accompany the meal. They were also in no hurry to see us leave and we always had to request the cheque so that we could be on our way to explore the churches and museums.

A very relaxed way of life.